Soup and a Lack of Sleep
by YellowRocksMySocks
Summary: Beth gets a glass of milk at night to find Bruce upset in the kitchen...waaaayyyyy better than it sounds I just don't wanna clue you in...Set after "Bruce's Baggage", "Living With the Avengers 2", and "Preston"
1. Betty

**Hello there! I am not sure if I want to continue this story or make it part of a match-making series, so you better review or I won't...Thanks for reading all of my geek-induced creations!**

I couldn't sleep. My relationship with Preston hadn't been going so great. I was up debating on whether we should end it. I decided to go downstairs and get a glass of milk. I silently padded into the kitchen, stopping in my tracks when I saw the hunched figure of Bruce sitting at the bar.

"Bruce? Are you okay?" I tentatively ask, walking over to face him. I saw his eyes had a green tint to them and he was shaking. _Uh-oh._

"Go away Beth." he said through clenched teeth. "It's not safe."

"Pffffft. Yeah, yeah. Hey big guy, you in there?" I ask, putting a hand on Bruce's shoulder and looking into his now-green eyes. "Don't make an appearance. We just got the kitchen remodeled after the spider incident. Chill out." I say to the green monster within. Bruce's spasms begin to lessen and his shoulders relaxed. I rub his back, trying to calm him down.

After a minute, Bruce is completely in check. "How did you do that?" he asks in his ever-calm voice.

"I dunno really. I just thought talking to the angry guy myself would be faster. Why the rage Brucie?" I ask and grab the carton of milk from the fridge and pour myself a glass.

"Do you know the story of how I became the Hulk?" Bruce asked.

"Nope. Come to think of it, I don't really know anybody's back story. And I don't think y'all know mine." I reflect. "What's yours?"

"Many years ago, I was the head of a secret team created to develop weapons involving gamma radiation for the army under an officer named General Ross. He positively hated me, but his daughter Betty didn't. We eventually fell in love. When the testing of a gamma bomb went horribly wrong, I was turned into the Hulk by the uncontrolled radiation. Betty was terribly injured. The last thing I remember from that moment was seeing her mangled body on the ground before everything went green." he said with a sigh. "If only I had been more careful..." Bruce trailed off.

"Hey. It's not your fault. Everyone else on your team should have checked better too." I say. "You can't go back to the way you were before the car accident, okay?" I say, reminding us of the incident many months before.

"It just hurts to see everyone so in love all the time, you know? I had come down here because I had a nightmare about Betty. Everywhere I go, it's Jane and Thor, Tony and Pepper, Clint and Natasha. I mean, Steve hasn't found someone yet but he's Captain America, every girl in New York is probably pining after him. You have Preston..." He says in this achingly sad voice.

I sigh, reminded of why I came down here in the first place. "Probably not for long." I say.

Bruce turns to look at me. "I'm sorry. That kid grew on me." he says in his trademark dry sense of humor.

I chuckle. "He wasn't the one." I say, using air quotes. Bruce cracks a smile. "It just kind of fizzled out. I was up debating on whether I should end it."

"If you want some single 38-year-old's advice, I would." he offers. "No use being with someone you don't really love. I wouldn't worry though. You have your whole life ahead of you. Me on the other hand..." he says.

"Wait, you're thirty-eight? To tell you the truth, I thought you were older...My bad." I say with a sheepish look on my face.

"Eh, it's okay. Most people do. Constant anger and stress will put a few gray hairs on ya..." he says.

"Hehe. Just you wait, Bruce. One day, you will be running errands. You and this beautiful girl with flowing hair will reach for the same can of soup. You'll brush hands, stare into each other's eyes, and before you know it, you'll be getting married and having a family." I jokingly say, making Bruce laugh out loud.

"I'm glad you have more faith in me than I do myself." he says.

"Who wouldn't fall in love with a doctor/gamma physicist/superhero?" I ask and give him a hug. "Goodnight Bruce. Get some sleep. Tomorrow we need to go to the store. I noticed we are out of soup." I say and wink as I leave the kitchen.

"Oh no. You are not helping me pick up women!" Bruce whisper-yells down the hallway.

"Too late!" I call from the top of the stairs. The last thing I hear before I close my bedroom door is Bruce laughing from the kitchen.

**Don't forget to give me your opinions on continuing this story! C'mon, the box is right below here! Just a sentence will do...:)**


	2. Now You've Done It

**Sorry it's short but another will be up soon!**

"Hurry up Bruce! We don't have all day!" I shout as I finished making a cup of coffee. My uncle was taking an unusually long amount of time to eat his Cheerios.

"Calm down Beth. Let me finish my cereal." he says with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Just then Tony strode into the kitchen. "What's all the fuss about?" he asks and grabs some coffee as well, leaning against the counter next to me.

"Bruce and I just have some errands to run." I say, noticing the look Bruce is giving me from above his bowl. "I'm helping him pick up chicks..." I stage-whisper into Tony's ear, and at that Bruce drops his spoon in his bowl.

"Now you have done it..." Bruce groans and buries his head in his hands.

"Nu-uh!" Tony says with an excited smile on his face. "Way to go Brucie!" he yells and slaps Bruce on the back. Bruce merely takes it and tries to resist flinging his cereal on Tony. "Jarvis, please notify everyone of this exciting news!"

I almost here the AI sigh. "Yes, Mr. Stark. Attention all Avengers. Mr. Stark would like me to inform you that Bruce is going to begin "picking up chicks"..."

Tony and I burst out laughing and fall on the ground. Everybody else runs in, curious as to if this whole thing was a prank. Through our tears, we tell them it's not; Bruce is really putting himself out there.

Clint begins to laugh along with us as well. "How are you going to manage it?" he asks.

"Beth is taking me to buy soup." he says matter-of-factly, running a hand through his hair.

Everyone just gives us quizzical looks, but Thor walks up to Bruce and puts a hand on his shoulder. "Though it is by strange means, may your quest for romance be fruitful. No man knows any joy like that of being loved." he says, and claps him on the back the way only Thor does.

"Uh, thanks..." Bruce mumbles and gives a small nod. He coughs and stands up. "Should we be on our way then?" he asks and turns to me.

"Go get 'em tiger!" Tony shouts and punches Bruce on the shoulder. Natasha simply squeezes his arm.

"To the soup aisle!" I shout, and Bruce trudges after me.


	3. Chicken and Stars

"Okay, here's the plan. You go into the soup aisle, look like you are confused. The love of your life will be next to you. Try not to get too flustered. Ask her a witty question about said soup. Fall in love. Easy enough?" I ask, parking the car in the grocery store parking lot.

"Um...yeah?" Bruce says, clearly not confident.

"Bruce, don't worry. You can do this!" I encourage. "I'll hide behind a nearby display for moral support."

He cocks and eyebrow at me. "Whatever floats your boat."

"Yes!" I cheer and pump my fist in the air.

"Okay, Brucie! Go get 'em!" I say and nudge Bruce in front of the soup. I found a cereal display and watched from behind it. Bruce begins to look at the soup, and not a moment later a beautiful lady with long blonde hair and green eyes walks up.

"C'mon Bruce. You can do this..." I whisper from behind the boxes.

"Excuse me. My niece has a cold and not sure which soup to get her. Which cures colds the fastest, Chicken and Stars or just plain Chicken Noodle?" he asks, and I swear I saw a flirtatious smile on his face.

"Dang, Doc. I didn't know you had it in you..." I say to myself.

The lady smiles. "As a doctor, I would prescribe Chicken and Stars. The noodles are more fun to eat." she replies. "How old is your niece?" she asks good-naturedly as she browses the cans.

"Seventeen. She's sweet, but gets whiny when she's sick. I'm a doctor as well, but the only cure I saw was chicken soup." he replied, causing the lady to laugh.

"No I don't..." I mumble.

"So you're a doctor. Doctor...?" he asks.

"Dr. Julia Stapleton. And you are?" she asks, extending her slender hand.

"Dr. Bruce Banner." my uncle replies warmly, returning her handshake.

Julia's eyes go wide. "THE Dr. Bruce Banner?" she asks, gasping.

Bruce shifts from foot to foot. "Uh, yes. I'm THE Dr. Bruce Banner." he says sheepishly. "I didn't know I was that famous..."

"I'm a huge science nerd and have been fascinated by your work for years." Julia said like she had just met a celebrity. Which, in a way, I guess she did.

"Wow, thanks. I had no idea that I had a fan." he says.

"Would you like to discuss some of your theories with me over coffee?" Julia asked, a playful glint in her eye.

"Bring it home, Brucie." I whisper.

"Uh, yeah. That would be great! Um, here's my cellphone. You can call me anytime, all I do is sit in a lab all day." he says with a nervous laugh as he jots down his number and hands it to her.

"I'm looking forward to it." Julia says with a dazzling smile, and flounces off with her basket.

"Whoa." Bruce says, and runs a hand through his hair. I jump out from behind the cereal and hug him.

"Way to go, Doc! She was gorgeous!" I exclaim.

"Yeah." he says softly. "She sure was."

"While we're here, we actually need groceries. I'll grab fruit, vegetables, and toiletries if you'll grab- You coming?" I ask suddenly when I noticed Bruce hasn't followed me. I walk back and see him staring dumbly at the Chicken and Stars.

"You coming, lover boy?" I ask.

"Oh, right. Groceries. Let's go." Bruce replies, and I tease him when I see a blush flushing his face as we walk to the produce section.


	4. Particle Simulator

**So sorry for not updating in such a long time! Life just happened to be going on so this got put on the back burner. Enjoy!**

I was doing my physics homework in the lab while Tony and Bruce were working. It had been a pretty calm day, until the phone started ringing. Bruce picked it up, and I expected it to be Thor practicing with the cellphone we got him, until I saw the expression on Bruce's face.

It was the mixture of giddiness and the urge to throw up that meant only one thing: It was Julia.

"Oh, uh, hi Julia. How are you? That's great. Me? I'm doing okay..." Bruce said, all flustered. It was quite funny. "When can I meet for coffee? Erm...i'm pretty much free anytime this week...How about today? Sure! I wasn't doing anything important anyway..."

"Hey! What about the particle sim-" Tony begins to complain, but a swift punch in the gut from yours truly shuts him up.

"Three o'clock? Yeah? Wonderful. See you then. Goodbye, Julia." he finishes on the phone, but dreamily holds it to his face. Tony coughs and Bruce is brought back from his trance with a blush. I waggle my eyebrows at him until he throws a pen at me.

"A date...way to go." I say with a devilish grin. "Ooh and I can help you get ready and everything!" I realize, and bounce up and down on my stool. "It'll be so much fun!"

"While Beth is making me lose brain cells, can you pass me the phillips head? I found a loose screw while you were making goo goo eyes at the receiver..." Tony said with a huff as Bruce passed him the screwdriver.

"Aww, is wittle Tony sad that he's gonna be working by himself?" I tease.

"Can it!" Tony snapped. "I'm just a little disappointed because we're about to make a major breakthrough and your gonna be out on a date..." he explained, turning to Bruce.

"I'm really sorry Tony. But this is the first date I've had since the accident. You understand, right?" Bruce pleaded.

"Yeah, I guess. Have fun with Julia." Tony said, a smile creeping onto his face.

"Thanks." Bruce said. He turned to the particle simulator-thingy or whatever the piece of machinery sitting before us was called. "So I hypothesize that if we increase the amount of energy the nuclei of the atoms will stabilize and-"

"Ahhhh! Too much science! Must escape to the average-brained world!" I mock and run upstairs with my physics workbook. I hear my uncles laughing as I jog up the steps, already thinking about which colors of shirts would look best on my smitten uncle.


	5. Plummy Shirts

_Hmmmmm...navy or light blue? Or green? Or plum? He DOES have a lot of purple shirts..._I think as I'm looking through his closet trying to decide on an outfit. Khakis and his brown shoes were a no-brainer, but the shirts were hard. Should he wear plum, so his favorite color will be familiar and comforting? Or go with something different, like light blue, to encourage his risk-taking?_ Am I seriously sitting here analyzing shirts? It's not even my date..._

"Hey Beth! Have you picked anything out?" Bruce asks as he skips in. Yes, he actually skipped. He's falling hard for this Julia lady...

"Nooo!" I wail as I flop down onto the bed. "I don't know which color shirt would look best on you..."

"I don't think it really matters..." Bruce said with a confused look on his face.

I shoot up from the bed. "Doesn't really matter?" I ask, flabbergasted. "Don't you want to look good?" I inquire.

"Well, yeah...of course." He replies.

"Then help me pick out a shirt!" I order, gesturing to his closet.

"Uhhh, how about the purple one?" he suggests.

I facepalm. "WHICH purple one?" I ask.

"The plummy one." he specifies with a snort, since that shirt was obviously plum out of the other seven. He grabs it and goes into his bathroom along with the pants I hand him.

After two minutes he pops back out with a frightened look on his face.

"What's the matter with you?" I ask. "You seemed so excited before..."

He throws his other clothes on his bed and wrings his hands as he examines himself in his bathroom mirror. "I was think about Julia, and I realized that this is the first date I've been on in about 12 years. I'm not exactly used to the concept. The last person I loved was Betty. I know it's way too early to decide if I love Julia, but what if things don't work out? What if this is my last chance? I don't wanna be that bitter old guy who yells at kids to keep off his grass..." he answers. "And my hair looks all disheveled and moppy!" he adds, and begins fussing with it.

I chuckle. "You're not gonna be a bitter old guy. And your hair always looks kind of disheveled." I comfort as I walk over and rearrange his tousled brown hair. He shoots me a glare. "What? She could think it's charming, so quit stressing out. You look fine."

"Thanks. Where's confidence when you need it, huh?" he says with a nervous laugh.

"Look. Just be your usual bad self and it'll go great!" I joke. "It's just coffee. Nothing too terribly dangerous."

This time Bruce is the one sitting on the bed in a huff. "But what if somehow she finds out I'm the Hulk? That isn't exactly what women look for in a guy..."

"Can't argue with that." I say with a shrug. I sit down beside my worried uncle. "Maybe she won't care. The Hulk is only one part of you. Your other half is pretty cool, so maybe she will be able to look past it."

Bruce gives a half-smile. "Maybe." he says. "I better head out. Thanks for the advice."

"No problem. Go get her!" I reply.


	6. Candidate for Matrimony

** I'm so sorry for the eons since I've updated this story. I had been working on some of my other stories and this just kind of got forgotten. I'll be updating this more frequently I hope. Please review! :) **

I was walking out to my car in the student lot after school. I had been actively avoiding Preston all day. I know, probably not the best approach, but I didn't know what to do.

"Beth! Hey!" I hear Preston shout as I shove my back pack in my trunk. _Dang it._ I turn around.

"Oh, hi Preston!" I cheerfully say as I kiss him on the cheek. _I suppose I better do it now._

"Wanna grab a burger or something before we go study?" Preston asked.

"Um, no thanks. Look, Preston. I care about you too much to beat around the bush and lead you on. I want to break up with you." I begin. His face falls into this horrible expression. A lump forms in my throat. "I just don't feel the same way that I did before. I don't wanna pull the 'It's not you, it's me' junk, but the spark just kind of fizzled out for me." A tear falls down my face. This was too hard. "I understand if you don't want to speak to me ever again. I'm so, so sorry."

He just stares at me for the longest time. "I'm sorry too." He finally says. "Goodbye, Beth."

I swallow. "Goodbye, Preston." I reply. He turns around and walks away without another word.

I shut my trunk and slide in the front seat. I wipe the streaks of tears off my face and head home, trying to keep my eyes un-blurred enough to drive.

* * *

I throw my stuff by the front door and run up the stairs, ignoring my family's greetings shouted from the kitchen. I slam my door and flop onto my bed. I felt horrible. I could tell I hurt him so bad. I cried for a long time, until I heard a knock on my door.

"It's open." I mumble.

"Bruce informed me of your troubles. I am sorry your courtship with Preston could not continue." Thor said, and sat on my bed. It creaked loudly under his weight, and I couldn't help but smile. I sit up. "He was an admirable candidate for matrimony." Thor added.

I burst out laughing. Thor looks at me, puzzled. "Thor, I'm in high school. I wasn't searching for the love of my life. I'm only seventeen. I might not meet my future husband until after college. But, I'm okay with that. I'll still be sad about Preston for a while, but I'll move on." I assure him.

"That is comforting news. Would you care to share some frozen confection with me? I hear it is what most young Midguardian girls partake after an ended courtship." He offers.

I giggle. "Sure, Thor. I would love to share some ice cream with you." I accept as he grabs my hand and helps me off my bed. I walk down the stairs behind him and begin to believe what I said earlier.


	7. Vanilla Latte

**Hello again! This chapter isn't so sad, and we get to see what Bruce and Julia's date was like! Yay! Please review because I'm not really sure how to proceed from here...It'll take a minute at most and if you're on this website you probably aren't in a hurry to do anything, am I right?**

"How was your hot date?" Clint asked at dinner. I giggled into my glass of sweet tea. It was Saturday night, so that meant pizza. We were crowded at the table, stuffing our faces with the cheesy goodness. Somehow, I managed to get wedged in between Thor and Steve. They both have shoulders as broad as a car bumper, so it was pretty cozy. I had to tilt my arm in this weird way to take a bite. But, it could have been worse. If I sat next to Tony he would have picked off my sausage when I wasn't looking.

Bruce swallowed in surprise and almost chocked on his pizza. After Natasha slapped his back a few times he recovered. "I wouldn't exactly call it a…hot date. But, it was nice." He answered, smiling in his shy way. "We talked for hours. She was really interested in my published works. It was nice to be able to discuss them. She doesn't have kids. A dog named Bear though. She showed me a picture. He's a giant German Shepherd. I had a really nice time." He finished.

"Someone's smitten…" Steve joked, and took a giant bite of Meat Lover's. We all burst out laughing.

BREAK

"You look nice." Bruce complimented the blonde doctor as they sat down at the table for two next to the window.

She blushed a little. "Why thank you. You look nice as well." She said. "That shade of purple looks good on you.

"Thanks." Bruce replied. He shifted in his seat. "To tell you the truth, I haven't been on a date in years. I've kind of forgotten how it's done…" he confessed, smiling a bit.

"Don't worry, same here." Julia said. "How about I start by asking a question. So, Dr. Banner. Besides your science, what do you like to do?" Julia asked, her hands around a vanilla latte.

"Well. I love to read. All kinds of books." Bruce answered, and took a sip of his English tea. "James Patterson is one of my favorite authors." He added.

Julia grinned. "Mine too! I'm a huge fan of the Daniel X series. One of my co-worker's daughters also enjoyed his Maximum Ride books as well. "she said.

Bruce smiled. "What kind of doctor are you? Pediatrician, cardiologist, dermatologist…?" he asked.

"Pediatrician. I've always loved working with kids. Fixing boo-boos is all in a day's work." She answered.

Bruce chuckled. "Do you have any kids of your own?" he asked and took another sip.

Julia smiled. "Nope. I do, however, have a dog. He's a huge German Shepherd named Bear. See?" she asked as she pulled up a picture on her phone.

"He's cute. I don't have any pets. Wouldn't mind one though. I'm just worried my work would take up all my time." Bruce said.

"I know the feeling. Life gets crazy sometimes, you know?" she said, her pink lips taking a sip of her coffee.

Bruce thought about his other half and his family. About how much his life had changed in the past year and a half. "Definitely." He said with a grin.

BREAK

It was-unfortunately-my night to do the dishes, and I was rinsing off the first plate when Bruce walked up beside me and grabbed a dish towel, and proceeded to dry the dishes after I handed them to him. We got into a rhythm and simply did the dishes in a comfortable silence for a while.

"Hey. Thanks for setting me up with Julia." Bruce says.

"Psh. You were the one who snagged her. I don't recall me asking which soup would be best for my WHINY niece..." I reply, flicking some water onto my uncle.

He chuckles and fllicks some back at me. "I guess so." he says. "But, you encouraged me to get back out there. I wouldn't have without you, so thanks."

I smile as I hand him the last dish and dry my hands on another towel. "No problem. You think you might go on a second date?" I inquire as I hop onto the counter.

"Yeah, probably. I really like Julia." he answers. He pauses a second. "Thor told us about your break up with Preston. I'm sorry." he says as he puts the plate in the cabinet. He leans against the counter.

I sigh. "It had to happen. But, just like I told Thor: I'm not searching for my soul mate right now. I'm seventeen. Of course I'll miss him and breaking up was hard, but I'll be okay." I reply. "You worry about Julia, okay? Reel her in!" I joke.

Bruce laughs and rolls his eyes. "Alright, I'll try to reel her in." he says. "But just because you told me to."

"That's the spirit!" I exclaim and slide off the counter.

**A minute at the most...**


	8. Cabbage and Onions

"What's up with Bruce?" I ask Natasha and Steve as I stroll into the kitchen to grab a snack. I noticed Bruce was sitting on the couch, simply staring at his cellphone on the coffee table.

"He's debating on whether to call Julia back or not." Natasha answered as she and Steve did the crossword. Steve didn't understand a lot of the clues since many of them were more current, so Natasha volunteered to help.

"He said stuff like 'She called the first time…does that mean I have to call her for the second date?' and 'Is it too soon to call her, or long enough?'" Steve added. He read the crossword for a moment. "Two letter word for 'emerald city'…" he said aloud. A second later he shouts "I UNDERSTAND THIS REFERENCE! It's Oz!"

I jump, almost spilling my chocolate milk. Of course, Natasha doesn't even twitch. She just laughs as Steve proudly writes on the newspaper. "Yikes. Way to go, Steve." I compliment. "Hey, Bruce!" I yell. He doesn't move. "Bruce! BRUCE!" I yell even louder. "Bruce! Hurry! The lab's on fire!" I shout.

He immediately springs into action, but stops when he realizes we were all just standing there. "Not cool." Bruce growled as he glared at me.

"Nuh-uh. You don't get to Hulk-out on me. You just weren't paying attention. Why won't you call Julia?" I ask as I join Steve and Natasha at the kitchen table. "It's been five days since your last date. You like her, don't you?" I clarify.

"Yeah! Of course I like her! How could I not…" Bruce trails off as he gets that sappy look on his face.

I snap my fingers at him. "Hey! Lover-boy! If you like her that much, call her. Take her out to dinner. Girls LOVE being taken out and having people buy them food." I suggest. Steve and Natasha chuckle as we fill in "Down 7" with the word "cabbage".

He suddenly got a determined look on his face. "You know what? I will. Thanks Beth!" he said and grabbed his phone. Bruce punched the numbers as he walked out of the room.

* * *

I was making dinner with Thor with the others in the kitchen when Bruce strode in. He looked as proud as a little kid is when they write their name for the first time.

"Guess what?" he asked, leaning on the counter next to me, this smirk on his face.

"What?" I inquired and played along. I could tell he had asked her out again. "Thor, could you pass me the cilantro and start chopping the onions?" I asked. Lately Thor had developed an interest in "Midguardian sustenance", so he would help whoever was cooking that night. He had gotten to the point where he could make spaghetti and it would taste good. We were all very proud.

"Yes. You must peel the onion first, correct?" he clarified as he grabbed the onion from the fridge and took out a knife from the drawer.

I smiled. "Yeah. Please chop it finely." I asked.

"As you wish Beth." he answered and began peeling the small onion with the baseball mitts that were his hands.

"What were you saying Bruce?" I directed the conversation.

"I asked Julia out to dinner. This Friday night we're going to that little Italian place by where we met for coffee." he said, twildling his thumbs.

"Very nice...I'm guessing you're excited?" I asked.

"The most I've been in a long time..." he confessed.

"Beth! Why does this vegetable make me weep?" Thor whined, his eyes all red and teary. "Surely this cannot be food..."

Everyone in the kitchen laughed. "Oh, Thor. Onions have a chemical that is released into the air when you chop it that makes you cry. Try running the onion under the sink and hold a piece of bread in your mouth. Should help a bit." I suggest.

"All right." he said and sniffled.

* * *

"You ready?" I asked Bruce as he adjusted is collar around his jacket in his mirror.

"Yeah. Just a little nervous. All of the small talk's out of the way, so now we have to begin talking about real stuff. What if she finds out I'm an Avenger and sees I'm really the Hulk? I feel like the Other Guy probably wouldn't do so well ordering from a fancy restaurant..." he explains.

"So, are you worried you will hulk-out or that she'll find out about your other half?" I try to clarify.

He thinks for a moment. "Well...truthfully? Both." he replies.

I sigh. "Look. You have been in control for a very, very, VERY long time. I don't think the Other Guy will just randomly appear during the date." I reassure my uncle.

"Okay, so? What if she finds out I'm the Hulk and is afraid of me? Or doesn't want to have anything to do with me?" he argues. "Julia is so amazing, and this could be the last chance I have romance-wise in my life..." he worries.

"Bruce. If or when she finds out you're the Hulk, if she doesn't accept it, she's not worth it. Doesn't deserve you. If someone truly cares about someone else, they accept and love all of the other person. Not just bits and pieces they choose. Got it?" I say.

He smiles a little half smile. "Okay. Thanks, Beth." he says.

"No problem. What are whiny nieces for?" I reply.

He chuckles. "You aren't gonna let that go, huh?" he asks.

I laugh. "Eh. Probably not for a while..." I joke.


	9. Under the Rubble

_Wow, she's gorgeous, _Bruce thought as Julia walked in the door, wearing a flirtatious but equally classy dress. Bruce smiled and cleared his throat. "You look lovely." He said in awe as he pulled her chair out for her.

Julia blushed as she sat down. "Thank you." She said with a soft smile. "You look very handsome yourself." She complimented.

It was Bruce's turn to blush. "Thanks. It's nice to see you again. I had a wonderful time going out for coffee." He said.

"I did too. Thank you for asking me. How's your gamma research going?" she asked.

_Uh-oh. I haven't exactly been doing any new research between saving the world and helping Beth with her Physics…but I can't lie to Julia. She's too important…_Bruce mulled over in his head. _Guess I better tell her up front about the Other Guy…_

Bruce nervously coughed and ran his hand through his disheveled hair. Julia gave him a confused look. "Um, Julia? There's something I need to tell you. I figured telling you now would be better than waiting. So you know about the Avengers?" he began, stomach in knots.

"Oh, yeah. Who hasn't?" she asked good-naturedly. "What about them?"

"Well…I'm…I'm-" was all Bruce got through before a crane crashed into the skyscraper beside the restaurant.

* * *

The alarm went off through the Tower, meaning that the Avengers were needed on a mission. I left my homework and grabbed the first-aid backpack in the hall closet. For the past month or so, S.H.I.E.L.D. had let me help with the medic team on basic first aid. I took the elevator up to the launch pad and waitef for the rest of my family to board the quinjet. Once they arrived all suited up, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent flew us to wherever we were going.

"Oh my goodness…" I breathed as we parked and jumped out. A crane had somehow fallen into a nearby building, crushing it beyond belief.

"Okay team! Thor and Tony, fly around the crane to see the best possible way to get it off the building. Clint, Natasha, and I will begin rescuing survivors and maintaining crowd control. Beth, you know what to do. Let's go!" Steve directed.

I ran over to the medic team and then began searching the rubble for any survivors.

* * *

Some S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel ran into the restaurant. "Everybody remain calm! The situation is being dealt with and will only be dealt with faster if you all stay in here and don't try to go across the street! Clear?" one of them shouted to the customers, who by this time were all standing up, trying to see what was going on. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents took their silence as compliance. One ran out while the other stayed to control the crowd in the restaurant.

_Guess that's my cue._ Bruce thought. He turned to Julia, who was gaping at the scene outside. He grabbed her hands, a very un-Bruce-like gesture. Julia simply looked at him, surprised. "Julia. I really didn't want you to have to find out this way, but I have one secret you need to know. I think you're the most amazing woman, but I understand if you become frightened of me after what you'll see..." he said, his voice tinged with sadness.

"What are you doing?" Julia asked, bewildered by his speech.

"My job." was all Bruce said before he turned away and began walking to the door, taking off his glasses, watch, and suit jacket and handing them to the remaining S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, who nodded as he passed. He walked outside, and turned and faced the restaurant. Bruce gave a little wave to Julia, then transformed into the Hulk and bounded away, roaring all the while.

Julia just sat back down in her seat and stared unblinkingly at the white tablecloth, the other customers watching her with disbelief.

* * *

"Help! HELP!" someone yelled from underneath the rubble. I ran over to the pile of concrete.

"Are you hurt?" I yell back.

"I...I don't think so! I can't get out though! Please help!" the person desperately shouted.

"Remain calm! Help is on the way!" I reassure the person. I see Steve nearby. "Hey Steve! I got someone stuck under here!" I call to him.

He sprints over and begins pulling at some of the rocks. I sometimes forget that he has super strength. It's not like he uses it to open a carton of milk or something. Steve creates a big enough hole and a boy begins to crawl out. He looks to be around fourteen or fifteen.

Steve grabs his hand and pulls him up. "You stay with my sister Beth, okay? She'll take good care of you." Steve instructed before he ran off to help Clint with a group of children.

The boy dazedly walks over to me. I grab my little medic light and look into his eyes. As I continue to check him and clean up some minor scrapes, he mumbles "That was Captain America..." he says. I chuckle and he looks at me with even more surprise. "You're Captain America's sister?" he asks.

I smile at him. "We're not related. I just live with him and the rest of the Avengers. It's pretty cool. What's your name?" I ask as I lead him to the main medic station.

"Liam." he answers.

"Well, Liam. I am going to leave you with these medics. They will take care of you." I say.

"Thanks for saving me. Beth, right?" he says.

"Yep. Good luck Liam." I say and turn around to search for any other victims.

* * *

After a few hours, all off the civilians had been rescued and Tony, Thor and Bruce were just pulling the crane back upright. Staying out of the way, I walked down the street to clear my head and take a break. I walked close to the crash site to examine the damage. The entire building would have to be repaired. Being reckless, I climbed up a little ways and sat on one of the chunks of concrete for a while. I could hear the shouts of Tony and Thor and the roars of Bruce a little ways away. I watched Thor and Tony fly around and Bruce jump like a lunatic as they tried to maneuver the crane. I decided it was time to head back to see if anybody needed by help again. I jumped down off the rock. I heard a rumbling noise.

I looked up and was buried underneath an avalanche of rock.

_Dear God! _I thought. _Let them find me! _"HELP! HELP MEEEEEE! ANYBODY!" I shouted as loud as I could.

I didn't hear anything. It started becoming hard for me to breathe. _I'm gonna die under here, aren't I?_ I thought.

"HELP! HELP! HELP MEEEEE!" I shout even louder this time.

I hear footsteps running towards me. "Where are you?" a woman screams nearby.

I find a hole and stick my hand through it. "Over here!" I yell.

The woman grabs it. "It's going to be okay, got it?" she shouts. "My name is Julia, i'll get you some help!" she says.

"Somehow I'm not so sure it's going to be okay..." I replay. It clicks in my head. "Wait, Julia? Dr. Julia Stapleton, by any chance?" I ask.

"Um...yeah. Can somebody get help?!" she shouts. "Who are you?" she asks.

"I'm Beth. Dr. Bruce Banner's "whiny" niece. I helped set you two up. You're welcome. Hehe." I say, trying to calm my nerves by distracting myself with random conversation. "Wait! I have a communicator in my pocket! I can call him!" I shout. I struggle to reach my communicator, but finally I grab it and press the button on the side.

"Bruce? Bruce? Can you hear me?!" I say into it.

"Yes!" I hear from the other end. "You hurt?" he asked in his Hulk-speech.

"Erm, not exactly. But I'm trapped under rubble. Julia is with me; look for her and you'll find me. Please hurry!" I explain.

"On my way!" Bruce shouts.

Not a couple seconds later I hear Bruce roaring and feel the tremors his giant strides create. Julia screams and begins to let go of my hand.

"No! Julia, you have to stay right here! Please!" I shout. "You need to see this!" I feel her hesitate, then tighten her grip on my hand.

I hear a grunt from Bruce. "Hi Julia. Stay calm. I'm saving Beth." I hear Bruce say. He begins lifting the rocks carefully away. Once a hole is big enough, he gently grabs me in one of his giant hands.

"You okay?" he asks.

I smile a little. "I think so. I just feel a lot of dust in my throat." I answer, and cough a little. "Thanks for saving me, Brucie."

He huffs at the nickname. Bruce grunts a "you're welcome". "Can you walk to medic?" he asks. "I want to talk to Julia."

I chuckle. "Probably." I reply, and pat him on the arm. He carefully sets me down on the ground. I grab his finger, which was almost as long as my arm. "Go get her big guy!" I say. I turn so see Julia standing a few yards away, her mouth wide open. I give her the thumbs up.

"The Other Guy's pretty cool once you get to know him!" I say and walk away. After a few yards, I turn around.

Bruce sat on the ground, waiting for Julia to come to him by herself. She just stares for a while at Bruce. He stares back. After a minute or two, she slowly walks up to Bruce, looks into his eyes, and grabs his finger. Bruce jumps at the touch, but relaxes and looks back at her. He gently puts his other giant hand around her back, and pulls her closer.

"Julia okay with this?" he tentatively asks. "Big Guy isn't going to go away..."

She giggles a little. "Yeah. I'm okay with this. He doesn't need to go away."

Bruce grins, and begins to transform back into himself. He continues to smile, this time only a smidge above her eye level, holding her close.


	10. Snow cones

**Soooo sorry for the lack of an update these past few months...Please Please PLEASE review if you want a matchmaking story with Steve down below!**

I tossed a tennis ball to Bear. The German Shepherd ran with much enthusiasm and then trotted back over to me before sitting down In the field in Central Park.

"You tired, buddy?" I asked as he flopped down next to me, panting. I sat down and began scratching Bear behind the ears.

I look up to see Steve and Thor in line for snow cones, Tony and Pepper walking on the sidewalk, and I figured Clint and Natasha were perched in a tree somewhere.

More importantly, I saw Bruce and Julia sitting on a bench,laughing and talking. And Holding hands. HOLDING HANDS.

Ever since the crane accident a few weeks ago, Julia had been spending more and more time at the Tower. It was nice. Julia was a super cool lady, and she immediately fit in. Especially when she said that she loved bacon.

Bruce hasn't even begun to turn green ever since he met Julia, except when he's on the job of course. He's just so happy, all the time, and it makes the rest of us happy too. He needs her. She helps him forget about Betty, about the years when he was on the run, about the destruction he's caused. Julia helps him remember the people he's helped, the good he does, the awesome parts about him. Julia is just what Bruce needs to finally be happy.

Steve walks over, carrying snow cones. Steve hands me a rainbow one and sits down in the grass next to me.

"Thanks." I say, and take a bite.

"No problem, ma'am." He replied in typical Steve fashion.

"You don't have to call me ma'am, you know." I remind him.

"Not enough people do that now days." He replied, and took a bite out of his red,white,and blue snow cone. Obviously.

"You sound like a bitter old man. " I say with a laugh. "But wait, you ARE technically ninety years old..."

Steve shoots me a look. We sit in silence for a moment. "I'm glad Bruce has Julia. They seem pretty perfect." He finally says.

I smile. "Yeah."

"Sometimes I wish I could find someone like that, you know what I mean? Maybe someone like Peggy. A woman who's strong and smart and beautiful. Who doesn't just love me for being Captain America. Like how Peggy loved me for being Steve Rogers." he confesses.

"Don't worry Steve." I reassure, and remember something Bruce said back when I had gone down to the kitchen to grab a glass of milk. "Every girl in New York is probably pining after you, probably every girl in the United States. At least a few will should love the Steve Rodgers side of you." I say.

"Every girl?" He replies and gives me a frightened look.

We laugh and finish our snow cones without a word.

"Hey." I pipe up. "I think we are out of soup." I say and waggle my eyebrows.

"No way Beth." He says and shakes his head. "Not happening."

"It was worth a shot, I suppose." I mutter, and we laugh and toss the ball for Bear some more.

REVIEW DOWN BELOW IF YOU WANT A STORY LIKE THIS WITH STEVE!


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